Doll&#39;s eye



April 6 1926.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY i atentw Apt; 6 i926;

TED .ISTATES' DEE KONOFF, OF NEW YOBK,-N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO OVERLAND METAL NOVELTY 60. mo, 01 NEW YORK, Y., A

PATENT OFFICE.

GOBPOBATION or NEW YORK.

Domes EYE.

. Application filed use 26, 1925. Serial No. 18,627.

struction and which may be easily connected i with its supporting rod and which when so V connected will be capable of universal rotary adjustment in order, to properly accommodate itself to the eye socket in the dolls head.

A further and more detailed object is to provide an .eye including'an outer hemispherical shell, preferably of metal, and

bearing the eye-picture on its outer surface,

and a single attaching member connected between the eye shell and its carrying rod constituting the sole element of connection'between said shell and rod,-and further to so connect the attaching member with the shell and rod that it will provide for both a uni,- versal rotary adjustment of the shell with respect to the rod and a bodily adjustment of the eye along the length of the rod.

A still further detailed object is to so construct the parts that the eye shell will be oapable of a desirably limited rotary movement upon an axis transverse to attaching member in turn being rotatably adjustable upon the supporting rod and having a part. bendable to facilitate a rotary adjustment of the eye shell upon an axis transverse both to the length of the supporting rod and to the first mentioned axis of rotation of the eye shell.

A further object is to so construct the parts that they will be retained against likelihood of accidental displacement from any-position into which they are manually adjusted.

@ther objects and aims of the invention,-

the attaching member and about, the supporting rod, the I the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification,

and in which I have shown merely a pro,-

ferred form of embodiment of the invention a Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of an eye set constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the eye appearing in Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the eye seen in Fig 2; the supporting rod, being shown in transverse section upon the plane of line IIL-HI of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken upon the plane of line IVlV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified construction of the attaching member employed.

Fig. 6 is a detailed end view of the portion of the attaching member which is adapted to engage the supporting rod, and illustrating a modified construction thereofyan'd Fig. 7 is a view similar to that seen in Fig. 6 but illustrating a further modification.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structural parts shown-therein the reference character L indicates the usual. bracket member by means or which'the eye set is intended to be connected with the inner surfaceof the forehead portion of a doll.

The reference character G. indicates the cross, or supporting, rod which is rotatably mounted at the lower end of the bracket plate and which carries at its opposite ends the two eyes HH.-

The rod G has a pendant weight carrying arm 1 by which the eyes are gravity controlled in the usual manner.

The eyes are identical'a nd a description of one will apply to both, as follows:

The hemispherical shell 2 has a notch 3 in one side thereof through which projects the supporting rod Gr.

The attaching. member 4 is arranged at the rear of the shell 2 and consists of a main flat plate portion 5 and a projecting stem portion 6. The plate portion 5 is provided with a plurality of radially extending lugs 7 at its periphery adapted to overly and slidably engage with the rear annular edge surface 8 of the shell 2 at spaced points circumferentially of said edge, and the portions of said plate intermediate the lugs 7 is arranged to nnderly suitable overhanging flanges as 9 which are provided upon the shell continuing beyond the plane of the edge surface 8 and bent inwardly to engage the plate.

The circumferential length of the lugs 7, and their disposition with respect to the flanges 9 ,are such as to provide unobstructed spaces as 10 between the lugs and the adjacent edges of the flanges to accommodate a certain desirable amount of rotary movernent of the shell relatively to the plate, the edges of the lugs and flanges serving to properly confine this adjustment withln appropriate limits. The pressure of the flanges against those portions of the plate intermediate the lugs is such as to cause just the proper amount of friction grip of the shell against the plate so that while rotary adjustment may be accomplished by the application of a sufficient manual force yet there will be no likelihood of any relative movement occuring in the absence of such force.

In this connection .it is noted that the lugs 7 are spaced considerable distances apart so that the intermediate portions of the plate between said lugs is sufiiciently extensive to provide for a considerable amount of flexibility, and it is further noted that if desired the flanges 9 may be suitably formed so that their central portions, as at 11, are bumped forwardly thus disposing said portions so that they alone will engage the plate. By thus placing the point of contact of the flanges against the plate midway between the lugs 7 full ad vantage may be taken of the flexibility of the plate to the end that the rotary adjustment of the shell with respect to the plate may be smoothly and easily accomplished.

'The stem portion 6 of the attaching member is integral withthe plate portion and the material comprising it is bent so as to provide a tubular sleeve adapted to telescope-over the end of the supporting rod.

The opposite edges as 12 of the material forming this sleeve, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, are not connected together. The sleeve is made normally of less internal diameter than the external diameter of the supporting rod and must be expanded when forced ontothe rod. In this way caused sufiicient friction is provided to retain it in any position to which it is adjusted upon the rod.

As suggested in Fig. 6 the opposite edges of the material forming the sleeve may if desired be constructed so that one edge thereof is turned back upon itself to provide a stop as 13 disposed to engage the other edge as 14. By this means the opposite edge portions of the material aeeaoai ing the sleeve will be restrained against too easy spreading apart, and a greater frictional grip against the supporting rod will result. If an even greater pressure against the supporting rod is desirable the stop 13 may be bent toward its carrying part, as by the use of a suitable tool, and thus provide an increased grip upon the supporting rod. Also, as. een in Fig. 7. the opposite edge portions of the material forming the stem may if desired be extended and fitted with a clamp screw as 15 extending through an aperture of one edge portion and engaging within a threaded opening of the other edge portion, for the same purposes referred to with respect to Fig. 6.

It may be explained here that while the use of one or the other of the expedients referred to for holding the attaching member onto the supporting rod may be utilized according to preference yet as amatter of general principle the device suggested in Fig. 6 is likely to be utilized where a larger diameter of supporting shaft is being dealt with than that proposed in Fig. 3, while the device suggested in Fig. 7 would be for a successively larger shaft. I

The stem portion 6, whether constructed as in Fig. 3 or in Fig. 6, or in Fig. 7, or otherwise, is connected with the plate portion 5 by a small neck portion 16 which is designed and arranged so as to provide a line of bend as nearly as possible at the spherical center of the eye shell, as on the line indicated X in Fig. 2, and which thus provides for a rotary adjustment of the eye shell about an axis which is transverse to the length of the supporting rod and which is also transverse to the axis of rotation of the eye shell with respect to the attaching member.

The opening 3 in the eye shell is sufiiciently large to accommodate all necessary adjustments of the eye shell without any interference from the supporting rod, and it will be seen that by the structure described the eye shell is capable of manual rotary adjustment in all directions with respect to its supporting rod and that the center of rotation is substantially at the spherical center of the eye shell, and that by reason of the telescopic engagement of the stem portion 6 upon the supporting rod the eyemay be readily adjusted as an entity longitudinally of the rod.

Referring now to the modification dis closed in Fig. 5 it will be seen that the structure shown therein is the same in all respects as that herein above described except as to the manner of connecting the stem portion 6 with the plate portion 5 of the attaching member. Whereas in the structure previously described the single bendable neck portion 16 constitutes the sole element of connection between these portions the structure rea out Fig. 5 contemplates the use of two neck portions as 17 and 18. These two neck portions project from opposite-sides of the stem and there is left an opening as 19 in the plate beyond the end of the stem. The necks 1'? and 18 are integral with the plate and stem and being of the same flexible material as said plate and stem, cross section, may be readily twisted so as to rovide for a rotary adjustment of the eye shell about an axis at or near the spherical center of the eye shell and transverse to the length of the supporting rod substantially to the same effect as previously described.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus I claim as new and ters Patent is 1. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said shell with the usual supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustably connected with the eye shell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portions together.

2.. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said shell with the usual supportingrod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustably connected with the eye shell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescopeover the sup orting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portions together, said bendable portion being disposed to provide a pivotal connection between the first two mentioned portions at a pointnear the described my invention, what desire to secure by Letspherical center of the eye shell.

7 3. An eye structure comprising a semi spherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said shell with the usual supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustably connected with the eye shell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portions together, said portions being all formed from a single piece of sheet metal, thesleeve portion being normally of less internal diameter than the external diameter of the supporting rod and being resilient whereby it is adapted to be expanded by engagement with the support ing rod to thereby frictionally grip the sup porting rod. I

t, n eye structure comprising a semi ably connected with the eye shell,

and being of reducedspherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said shell with the usual supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustanother portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portions together, said portions being all formed from a single piece of sheet metal, the sleeve portion being normally of less internal diameter than the external diameter of the supporting rod and being resilient whereby it is adapted to be expanded by engagement with the supporting rod to thereby frictionally grip the supporting rod together with means by which to increase the frictional grip of the sleeve upon the supporting rod.

5. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching memher by which to connect said shell with the usual. supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustably connected with the eye shell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portions together, said first mentioned portion consisting of a plate rotatably slidably engaging a rearwardly facing surface portion of the eye shell and having interengagement with other portions of the eye shell whereby. its engagement with said rearwardly facing surface portion is frictioned for the purpose set forth.

6. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching memher by which to connect said shell with the usual supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one portion adjustably connected with the eye shell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a bendable portion connecting the first two portion together, said first mentioned portion comprising an annular plate having circumferential spaced parts adjustably slidably engaging portions of the eye shell. and the eye shell having parts disposed to engage said plate intermediate the mentioned parts of the plate tending to flex the plate andto thereby hold the first mentioned portions of the platefrictionally in any position to which the plate is adjusted with respect to the eye shell.

7. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell, a plate at the rear of said eye shell having spaced parts thereon slidably adjustably engaging a rear annu lar edge surface of the eye shell, flanges formed upon the eye shell arranged to engage the plate at points intermediate said mentioned parts of the plate to thereby nular edge surface of the eye shell, flanges formed upon the eye shell arranged to engage the plate at oints intermediate said lugs to thereby hdld the lugs frictionally against the edge of the eye shell, and said plate having integral parts arranged to pro vide a pivotal connection of the plate with the usual supporting rod.

9, An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell, a plate at the rear of said eye shell having spaced lugs thereon slid-' ably adjustably engaging a rear annular edge surface of the eye shell, flanges formed upon the eye shell arranged to engage the plate at points intermediate said lugs to thereby hold the lugs frictionally against the edge of the eye shell, and said plate having parts first to provide a sleeve for frictionally rotatably engaging over the usual supporting rod and second to provide a pivotal connection between the eye shell and the supporting rod on an axis transverse to the len h of the supporting rod.

10. n eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said shell with the usual supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising one ortion adjustably connected with the eye s ell, another portion providing a sleeve to frictionally telescope over the supporting rod, and a connecting portion connecting said first two portions together, said connecting ortion extending in the direction of the ength of said sleeve portion from one end of the sleeve portion and merging into the first mentioned portion and being bendable and being disposed to provide a pivotal connection between the first two mentinoned portions at a point near the spherical center of the eye shell.

11. An eye structure comprising a semi spherical eye shell and an attaching member by which toconnect said eye shell with the usual supporting rod, connecting means whereby said attaching member is rotatably frictionally adjustably connected with the eye'shell to permit rotary adjustment of the eye shell about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the supporting rod, said attaching member also having a part to rotatably'frictionally adjustably engage the supporting rod to permit rotary adjustment manner of the eye shell about a horizontal axis longitudinally of the supporting rod, and

to the length of the supporting rod, said attaching member also having a part to rotatably frictionally adjustably. engage the supporting rod to permit rotary adjustment of the eye shell about a horizontal axis longitudinally of the supporting rod, and

said attaching member further having a bendable part bendable to causerotary adjustment of the eye shell about a vertical axis transverse to the length of the support ing rod.

13; An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching member by which to connect said eye shell with the usual supporting rod, connecting means whereby said attaching member is rotatably frictionally adjustably connected with the eye shell to permit rotary adjustment of the eye shell about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the supporting rod, and said attaching 'member further having a bendable part bendable to cause rotary adjustmentof the eye shell about a vertical axis transverse to the length ofthe supporting rod.

14. An eye structure comprising a semispherical eye shell and an attaching member] by which to connect said eye shell with the usual supporting rod, connecting means whereby said attaching member is rotatably 'trictionally' adjustably connected with the eye shell to permit rotary adjustment of the eye shell about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the supporting rod, and said attaching member comprising a flexible plate. having parts resting against rear surface parts of the eye shell, andthe con nection between said attaching member and the eye shell comprising inwardly projecting parts of the eye shell engaging the plate and holding the plate flexed against the mentioned rear surface portions of the eye shell.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALEXANDER KUNOFF. 

